Finally there has been reports of more hummers moving north. And many of the reports have only been in just the last week especially Ruby-throated Hummingbirds in such far northern locations as Wisconsin, Michigan, Vermont, Maine and Canada. The same influx of Broad-tailed Hummingbirds into Colorado and Utah, as well as Black-Chinned into northern locations, has been reported since the first of May. I saw my first hummer of the year, a Black-chinned female, near my home in Colorado just a few days ago.
If you didn’t see the earlier maps I have posted, I am only posting on Ruby-throated, Broad-tailed and Black-chinned Hummingbirds and only for spring migration as I do my best to weed out the overwintering hummers in very southern states. And though larger numbers of hummers are being reported, I am still seeing recent posts from folks who have yet to see hummers this year.
Finally hummers have been reported for sites in Canada on Ebird so I have added a Canada map. You can read why I choose to use reports from Ebird, and a little about the unusually early hummer reports on other sites, on my April hummer update.
Folks posting on this blog and other sites have reported that hummers were late, on time and a few early. Migration timing seems to have been a mixed bag so far this spring. I have seen speculation that the unusually early reports in northern areas may have been hummers that had overwintered in southern U.S., a theory I have had since I saw reports all the way into Canada in March. It is certainly logical that hummers that were in the U.S. would have been aware of the early warm temperatures that might have encouraged them to move north very early while the majority of hummers that were wintering down in Central America had no idea of the unusually early warm spell in North America.
I hope if you don’t have hummers at your flowers and feeders yet that you do soon. Remember that some hummers will only stop by as they migrate on to their nesting area elsewhere.
Here are my tips for welcoming migrating hummers. Plus Birds and Blooms Magazine has a whole Hummingbird Haven web section.
Have hummers been on time where you live, or have they been late or early?
{ 59 comments… read them below or add one }
As soon as we arrived in the mountains of Southwest NC, a couple of ruby throated’s showed up. Of course, they are fighting for the right to sip :>
We saw our first ruby throated hummer yesterday here in Holland NY
I have had my feeder out for 2 weeks (refreshing it as needed) and been watching for the ruby throats to arrive in West MI, but have not seen them yet. The honeysuckle bushes are in full bloom, and they usually herald the hummingbird arrival. BUT no sighting yet. They may be feeding on the honeysuckle instead of my homemade nectar at this point.
I saw my first hummingbird of the season on May 3. I live in Hallstead, PA near the NY state border – near Binghamton NY
We saw our first hummingbird here on May 3rd just before dusk. We are in northern Illinois 5 miles from the Illinois/Wisconsin border.
Just got the feeders up Saturday and saw our first ruby-throated yesterday (and an oriole:) they like our hummingbird feeders too!
We say our first hummer 5-6-12 in Aloha Michigan…he was not the usual rubythroated one…he had a beautiful yellow/orange mark on his chest….Glad to see them back…
We seen our first Ruby Throat of the season on the 2nd of May. Looking forward to seeing a lot more soon.
Saw 1st ruby throated this morning May 7th here in West Sand Lake, NY.
Saw our first ruby-throated hummer on Sat., May 5 in Central Illinois. He didn’t bother with the nearby hibiscus blossom but went right for the feeder sitting on the deck that hadn’t been filled yet. The food was cool and ready to go in so hubby immediately filled and hung the feeder. I think this male hummer is a “regular.” We’ve seen him several times in the last few days.
we saw our Ruby-throated hummers the last week in April, we live in Oakland Maryland in Garrett County so they were a little early this year, we live in the mountians, I could watch them all day
we have had 3 or 4 ruby throated pass thru our yard spending 2 or 3 days in the area enjoying our coral honeysuckle and sugar water at the feeder.over the past three weeks or so. Can’t wait for one to spend the summer as one did last year. came to the feeder 5 or 6 times a day.
Finally , a male ruby throated hummingbird has arrived to central Indiana
I saw my first hummingbird May 1st. I had put my feeder out about 3 days before. I live in Indiana, PA. Just love them!
We live in north central WI, our firs Hummers arrived May 3rd on what was probably one of the worst thunder storms this year. Not only did the Hummers arrive that day but the Orioles also showed up in the rain. We’ve had some awefully wet weather for a couple of weeks now and it seems the worse the rain is the more birds we see coming back. I’m pretty sure I saw an Indigo Bunting this morning but by the time I got my field glasses he was gone. Its been an interesting spring to say the least…
Saw my first Ruby Throat yesterday. Clinton, NJ (north-western, NJ) Put out the feeder right away, but haven’t seen any on it yet.
Put a feeder out last week, Because i felt with this up and down weather change, They had to be coming.And yesterday May 6 th Their he / she was..And thirsty! I was able to get a picture.I am in CT.East of the State Capital of Hartford.
HummingBirds are arriving late here in central Indiana this year. I saw my first Humming Jewel refueling on my feeder May 1st. In the past I’ve seen them sitting on the feeders April 25th. Not very many buzzing around as of yet! Hopefully they bring more friends. When making my nectar, I never add red dye since it’s harmful to their kidneys. As long as the feeders have RED on them, the birds will spot them. Remember to shoooo away any Praying Mantis around the feeder. I have seen a Mantis take down a HummingBird. I broke my Heart. ♥
I saw my first humme, a Ruby Throat on May 5th in St. Clair Mi… very little red on his throat….
My first hummer buzzed my window and then the clothesline where I hung his feeder, then back to the window..until I made his nectar and filled 2 feeders…IMMEDIATELY! He has me trained! This was last Tuesday night around 6PM….he’s been back every day since. ( May 1, 2012) He is a ” large” male, of course, because the males appear first to stake out their territory and feeding grounds! It’s nice to have them back, I always see them at the same exact time when my Rose Breasted Grosbeaks return. Now I’m waiting impatiently for my Indigo Bunting!
Hi Debra, I know the feeling about being well trained by the hummers and I suspect that there are a lot more of us who have hummers who show us humans that it is time to get out the hummer feeders (and just where they have been placed). I saw my first Indigo and Lazuli Buntings this past week so they are on their way too
My first Ruby Throated Hummer arrived on April 10th. to East-Central Missouri. As of May 6, I have counted 10 of them fighting over my three feeders! Guess I’ll have to get a fourth one this year!
First hummer I saw was May 5th in the seacoast area of NH – hung 2 feeders and had 2 hummers within an hour. So happy to have them back!
I live in Laurel, Delaware. In the middle of April my scout hummingbird arrived checking out my red azalea just as it started blooming. Every spring I get one early on and since the trees have yet to leaf out it is easy to follow him around the yard. I immediately got the feeders out. As of today the family has caught up. I am assuming they are moving up the east coast from Florida. What always surprises me is that every spring there always seems to be one strong male for 1-2 weeks then there is a strong influx of male and females. LOL, they know where they left off feeding and return home for the summer. I was worried last fall as it mid October before I saw the last of them. I had read about preparing a home for them in the winter to encourage them to stay all winter but felt it might interfere with their natural instinct to migrate. So they were fed until they had shown no signs of being here for two weeks. The feeders were then brought in until spring. We do live in the woods so we see a lot of them throughout the neighborhood by all that have feeders. For those that continue north, they know where the best and most protected hummingbird restaurants are located. If you are just beginners in hanging feeders, don’t be discouraged, they will come. Also be sure to invest in the ant protectors for the feeders. They do an exceptional job in keeping those pesky ants out of the feeders. Enjoy the hummers as they will keep you entertained all summer year after year.
Anne–I think there is a near unanimous agreement that the hummers are wonderful entertainers. Please don’t worry next fall that you might interfere with their migration by leaving out feeders. The folks at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology say, “A number of factors trigger the urge for birds to migrate, but the most significant one is day length. When the days get shorter, the hummingbirds will move on, regardless of whether there are still filled feeders available for them.” In fact they encourage leaving a full feeder out for a few weeks after the last one has gone “just in case there are stragglers in need of additional energy before they complete their long journey south.”
We saw our first hummer on May 1 in Lima Ohio
First ruby throat spotted at my feeder in Kingston, NY on 5/6/12.
I am envious as I had a lot of gardens and planted all the types of flowers hummers were suppose to like in addition I had feeders but to no avail! Sad in Ct!
Oh Linda, Connecticut is so far north and the hummers are just being seen in your state so don’t give us hope yet.
Had our first hummingbird on May 5th; here in Northern Illinois.
Just had the feeder up for a couple of days.
my ruby red is back as of last week in saginaw, michigan!!! i usually get 3, a femail and 2 males but have only seen 1 so far.
I saw 2 hummers this week in Pascoag, RI I set up my feeder just in time it seems. I love to watch them and it looks like they like the new feeder.
This a.m., 5-7- ruby throat in back yard. Racine, WI Whoopeee! Let the season begin
I had put out a feeder a few days ago in anticipation of the return of the Ruby-Throated Hummingbirds and was rewarded this afternoon (5-7-2012) with my first visitors to the feeder! They came up and flew around my head to make sure I knew they were there. i just love these little creatures; they bring an instant smile with their antics regarding who gets the feeder.
our first sighting this year Porter Corners N.Y. North of Saratoga Springs May 7 2012.
Had my first sighting of ruby throats yesterday, May 6th, in Saugus, MA — Oh joy!
May 7 2012 ruby throated at feeder around 4:15 p.m. Hinckley, Mn.
I put my feeders up in Grass Lake, Michigan and I had a male Ruby Throat feeding within 5 minutes. Glad to have our Hummers back!
Saw first ruby throat the 1st part of April, in Taylors, SC.
right on schedule, May 1st last year, and the same this year. Actually in the middle of a rainy day this year. Brazil,In
We had our first ruby throated
hummingbirds on Monday, May 7th. (Yay!)
Had my first sighting of Ruby-throat (male) at feeder on May 4th, here in Hyannis, MA.
I had
a “hummingbird bully” two years ago. Now I only see them very sporadically since then! Bummer!!
Female ruby throated hummer at my feeder today in Northern NH. She’s the first one and arriving one week later than last year.
I put out my feeder 2 days ago and one humming bird showed up. Now there are several which I have never had before. Really enjoy watching them feed. They also are feeding on the flowers that are blooming.
Male & Female Ruby Throated arrived this past weekend. I was so happy to welcome them back! (Rhode Island)
Saw my first hummer May 9th in Hamilton, MT
Saw the first hummer at our feeder in Canal Winchester, OH (just outside Columbus) today, May 14, 2012.
The hummers are back! Hoorah! Rindge, N.H.
Here in Haymarket, VA, we saw our first ruby throated hummingbird today…what a great site to see. We already had food in the feeders waiting for them…yay, there back…
We got our first hummers a week or so a go and now there are none. I haven’t seen one in several days. I am assuming, hoping, that the ones we saw were migrating and stopped off briefly.
I live in buna, a small town in se Texas. Every year I watch for my little friends(ruby throated hummers) to drive,and when I see one I run in my house and fill a feeder as fast as I can! My husband thinks I’m crazy.. this year they showed up in march, like usual. I put my feeders out and it didn’t take long ,I had 20. What I can’t understand is where did they go? They were here up until the middle of may, even the females .. I always keep my feeders clean and with fresh food so I know that’s not it. I know some migrate north. I’ve heard others say the same thing. It was even on the local news this morning. The anchor man said, where did all the hummers go? And why so many butterfly’s this year.. The hummers must know something we don’t. Extremely hot summer, hurricanes… Idk. If anybody knows, please let me know, I miss them already!
I have lived in Greensboro, NC for 9 years. This is the first year (2012) that I have not seen a single hummingbird. I put out a feeder on my second story patio. This is the third year I have done so. For 4 years previous, I hung one with my other feeders, but there was too much bird traffic. This way I can see them up close and they have a safe place to feed. I have been cleaning and filling my feeder regularly, but no hummers this year. I do not even see them around our hundred acre campus full of Mimosa trees, trumpet vines and honeysuckle, etc. Where are they? My heart is broken.
I live in Port Coquitam B.C. And it was an early march afternoon I had decided to put out my Humming bird, feeder just because
it was a beautiful warm day. And within a couple of day I had a Anna’s humming bird start comming around. Than in May wev’e also have a Ruby neck that’s been around. Than just for a couple of weeks they seldom came around. I was out walking my dog and just 5 houses down our neighbours were outside makeing a fuss over this humming bird. I found out where my hummers had flown off to they, had a nest in their tree. I got one pitcure of the nest, it had an egg in it. And when I find out how to put my pics on my laptop you’ll be able to see it. The sad thing is I went check on the nest the other day and it was gone. The nice thing is though I have my humming birds back. But all they seem to do now is sit up in my tree, and when they want there nector they come down and get it. It funny how we get so excited over these tiny little bird’s. And yes when they left here at the begining of Sept I was devistated. But I’ve been told that the Ann’s do hang around all winter if we bring the feeders in though the night to keep the nectar warm they’ll stay. So this winter you’ll no what I’ll be doing.
We’ve just moved to a new home about 5 miles away and after years of feeding “our hummers”, were hoping to see some at our new place. We usually see them in early to mid July. We planted lots of their favorite flowers and crossed our fingers. This afternoon while watching birds on our feeders, a ruby throat hummer came by and checked things out!!! We are so excited!!!
I live in Chattanooga, TN. Many of my neighbors and I have noticed a significant decrease in the amount of humming birds thus far (6-17). Yet I’m reading that they have now come north. Does anyone know any reason why they have not arrived in mass in our town yet?
I was wondering the same thing. I live in Rossville and for years have always seen an abundance of hummers until this year!
I have had a feeder out since early May and have only caught a brief glimpse of one hummingbird! Any thoughts from anyone??? Although the hummers at my feeder did stay very late into the season last year…perhaps they are just taking their time getting here due to the cooler temps of May…just a guess????
I live in Naples, Florida about 10 miles in from the Gulf. A group of hummers came to my feeders about the middle of March this spring, which was about two weeks early. Then in mid August friends of ours saw hummers in Fakahatchee Strand State Park so I put my feeders up but didn’t see any at the feeders until September 14, which is about two weeks later than normal this year. Over the winter we do have several “winter residents”.
I live in Ontario Canada and the hummers arrive around Mother’s day every year. Last year I had some until November before they left. I have them all summer.I think it was the young ones that were hanging around late in the fall.